This video introduces our new series "LIFE" the life Jesus intends for us to live. The Gospel makes it possible for us to truly engage in our world.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Covenant Series Sermon #4 - "All In"
Happy Resurrection Day! God has fulfilled His promise in giving Jesus Christ to us as a sacrifice for sin and a purchase of eternal life. If this by chance is your first look at this series then I would encourage you to go and read the previous three post to gain an understanding of this important foundational series. The following is a description of the final three steps of the ancient covenant making ceremony.
Step 8 “Covenant Meal”
In ancient culture they would begin this step by feeding each other and saying “As you are ingesting this food you are ingesting me; you are taking me into your life.”
This step is seen in many places in the Scriptures but as you read the following passages together you will see them come together in a very clear way. Be encouraged that Jesus is of bread of the life.
O.T. – Ex. 16:4-5 “Manna From Heaven”
N.T. John 6:31-59 “True bread of life”
Step 9 “The Exchange of Names”
This step in the ancient culture is when the last part of each of their names would be placed in the middle of the other. One way to understand this is if we took our last names and made them each others middle names. This is what God was doing when He changed Abram to Abraham. God's name is understood as YHWH. This in the Hebrew is really unpronounceable and is more like the breath sound or the sound of wind. Say the names Abram and Abraham out load and you will hear what God did. This exchange is also seen in the fact that YHWH became known as the God of Abraham. It is also what happens when we take on the name Christian and Jesus was known as the Son of Man. You will see this as you read the following passages.
O.T. Genesis 17:1-5 (Abram to Abraham and YHWH the God of Abraham)
N.T. – Acts 11:26 / 1 Peter 4:16
Step 10 “The Exchange of the Oldest Male Child”
This final step in ancient culture is the most intense and difficult part of the covenant making process. The covenant partners would literally take and raise the others oldest male child. This would seal the deal. Read the following passages to see how this plays out.
O.T. Genesis 22:1-19 / Hebrews 11:17-19 “Abraham giving Isaac”
N.T. John 3:16
May you come to know that He has given you His all,
Paul
Step 8 “Covenant Meal”
In ancient culture they would begin this step by feeding each other and saying “As you are ingesting this food you are ingesting me; you are taking me into your life.”
This step is seen in many places in the Scriptures but as you read the following passages together you will see them come together in a very clear way. Be encouraged that Jesus is of bread of the life.
O.T. – Ex. 16:4-5 “Manna From Heaven”
N.T. John 6:31-59 “True bread of life”
Step 9 “The Exchange of Names”
This step in the ancient culture is when the last part of each of their names would be placed in the middle of the other. One way to understand this is if we took our last names and made them each others middle names. This is what God was doing when He changed Abram to Abraham. God's name is understood as YHWH. This in the Hebrew is really unpronounceable and is more like the breath sound or the sound of wind. Say the names Abram and Abraham out load and you will hear what God did. This exchange is also seen in the fact that YHWH became known as the God of Abraham. It is also what happens when we take on the name Christian and Jesus was known as the Son of Man. You will see this as you read the following passages.
O.T. Genesis 17:1-5 (Abram to Abraham and YHWH the God of Abraham)
N.T. – Acts 11:26 / 1 Peter 4:16
Step 10 “The Exchange of the Oldest Male Child”
This final step in ancient culture is the most intense and difficult part of the covenant making process. The covenant partners would literally take and raise the others oldest male child. This would seal the deal. Read the following passages to see how this plays out.
O.T. Genesis 22:1-19 / Hebrews 11:17-19 “Abraham giving Isaac”
N.T. John 3:16
May you come to know that He has given you His all,
Paul
The Covenant Sermon #3 "Difficulty in the Deal"
I realized looking into steps 1-3 that this Covenant is pretty one sided. What I mean here is that I have nothing to give but have received everything from God. The beauty in this is that all God wants from me, is me. He does not want my stuff or what I can do. And all God wants from you is you. However as we look into steps 4-7 of the ancient covenant ceremony we come to discover that there is a fare amount of difficulty involved in this covenant. The point that can be made here is that the blessings are not without difficulty. If fact none of what makes life beautiful is easy. The following are steps four through seven in which we come to see the intensity of the ceremony increase.
Step 4: The Sacrifice
During this step in the ancient ceremony a sacrifice was made. This would define the covenant as a blood covenant which would be binding forever. The animals used would be dependent upon the wealth of those making covenant and because God's covenant is for all, each level of society was represented when God told Abram to get the needed animal for the sacrifice. Open your Bibles and read the following passages, They portray this step in both the Old and New Testaments.
Genesis 15:1-11
Hebrews 10:1, 19-23
Step 5: The Walk of Death
This fifth step is when things really begin to grow intense. The two who were coming together to make covenant would walk through the pieces of sacrifices animal. They would walk through in a figure eight patter repeating the statement, "if I should break my covenant with your may it be done to me as it has been done to this animal. You will notice as you read the following passage in Genesis that God caused Abram to fall asleep. Though this seems strange God did this because He knew that Abram nor those that would follow him could keep the covenant. In fact most believe that the two object described in the Genesis passage are symbols of the God and Jesus taking the death walk which would result in Jesus going to the cross for this sin of man. This step also brings clarity to Jesus statement in Matthew 16 to "take up your cross". I also think this step brings clarity to Paul's teaching on Baptism in Romans chapter 16.
Genesis 15:12-21
Matthew 16:21-25
Romans 6:1-8 “Baptism”
Step 6: The Mark on the Body
In the ancient culture this was called “the striking of hands” perhaps the meaning behind Is. 49:16. each covenant partner would cut a mark into the palm of their hand and then shake each others hand. From then on this mark on the body would tell others who they were in covenant with. As they approach some one on the road they would wave their hand displaying the covenant mark. The mark on the body is the reason for God demanding the Jews to be circumcised. The reason for circumcision and not a mark on the hands was do to the reality that God was creating a nation that would bless all others. This should bring a fair amount of clarity to the following passages.
Circumcision – Genesis 17: 10-11
Circumcision of the heart – Romans 2:28-29
Step 7: The Pronouncement of curses and blessings
This step was also completed as they walked through the pieces of the sacrificed animal. They would pass each other and repeat blessings for holding the covenant agreement and curses that would result if one should break covenant. The wording of this exchange is very similar to what we find in Deuteronomy chapter 28. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this is the thought that the curses are not found in the New Testament. This is still a work in progress for me personally, those who know more about this than I do say that they are not there. Search for yourself by beginning with the following passages. We can be sure this that Jesus has become a curse for us by hanging on the cross.
Deut. 28 (Bless. V.1-14 / Curses 15-68)
Galatians 3 (all kv -13) (The curses have been lifted)
To rap this up I would challenge you to embrace the difficult for the sake of the blessing. We have been called by God to join Him in covenant and that calls for joining Him in His work of redeeming this dark world with the light of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
May you be blessed,
Paul
Step 4: The Sacrifice
During this step in the ancient ceremony a sacrifice was made. This would define the covenant as a blood covenant which would be binding forever. The animals used would be dependent upon the wealth of those making covenant and because God's covenant is for all, each level of society was represented when God told Abram to get the needed animal for the sacrifice. Open your Bibles and read the following passages, They portray this step in both the Old and New Testaments.
Genesis 15:1-11
Hebrews 10:1, 19-23
Step 5: The Walk of Death
This fifth step is when things really begin to grow intense. The two who were coming together to make covenant would walk through the pieces of sacrifices animal. They would walk through in a figure eight patter repeating the statement, "if I should break my covenant with your may it be done to me as it has been done to this animal. You will notice as you read the following passage in Genesis that God caused Abram to fall asleep. Though this seems strange God did this because He knew that Abram nor those that would follow him could keep the covenant. In fact most believe that the two object described in the Genesis passage are symbols of the God and Jesus taking the death walk which would result in Jesus going to the cross for this sin of man. This step also brings clarity to Jesus statement in Matthew 16 to "take up your cross". I also think this step brings clarity to Paul's teaching on Baptism in Romans chapter 16.
Genesis 15:12-21
Matthew 16:21-25
Romans 6:1-8 “Baptism”
Step 6: The Mark on the Body
In the ancient culture this was called “the striking of hands” perhaps the meaning behind Is. 49:16. each covenant partner would cut a mark into the palm of their hand and then shake each others hand. From then on this mark on the body would tell others who they were in covenant with. As they approach some one on the road they would wave their hand displaying the covenant mark. The mark on the body is the reason for God demanding the Jews to be circumcised. The reason for circumcision and not a mark on the hands was do to the reality that God was creating a nation that would bless all others. This should bring a fair amount of clarity to the following passages.
Circumcision – Genesis 17: 10-11
Circumcision of the heart – Romans 2:28-29
Step 7: The Pronouncement of curses and blessings
This step was also completed as they walked through the pieces of the sacrificed animal. They would pass each other and repeat blessings for holding the covenant agreement and curses that would result if one should break covenant. The wording of this exchange is very similar to what we find in Deuteronomy chapter 28. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this is the thought that the curses are not found in the New Testament. This is still a work in progress for me personally, those who know more about this than I do say that they are not there. Search for yourself by beginning with the following passages. We can be sure this that Jesus has become a curse for us by hanging on the cross.
Deut. 28 (Bless. V.1-14 / Curses 15-68)
Galatians 3 (all kv -13) (The curses have been lifted)
To rap this up I would challenge you to embrace the difficult for the sake of the blessing. We have been called by God to join Him in covenant and that calls for joining Him in His work of redeeming this dark world with the light of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
May you be blessed,
Paul
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
"The Covenant" message #2: Resources of the Relationship
As I stated last week, when first became a Christian I set out to obey all of God’s commands. That was good, but I soon learned of the difficulty of the task and of the impossibility of doing so with my own strength and will power. I also had no idea that God would expect me to fight His enemies. However if our relationship is truly a covenant then in fact we would fight each others fight. In fact with all of our efforts to please God we often think that we need to do so on our own or just fall for the lie that we will never be able to please Him. The truth is that God has granted us all that we will ever need not only to please Him, but also to live in the victory over our enemies that so often cause us to believe that we are not pleasing our Heavenly Father.
Through the study of our relationship as a covenant we come to see that God has given us all we need for the fight that we call life. If you need a refresher on the definition of covenant see the last week's post. For this post we will be looking at the first three of ten steps in the ancient covenant ceremony. These three steps will help us understand that part of our relationship with God that resources us to successfully live in victory over our own enemies and the enemy of God.
Step #1: The exchange of Robes - As two kings would begin the ceremony they would there ribes. This would signify an exchange identity. Understood in our relationship with God, we come to find out that God has indeed exchanged identity with us.
Phil 2:5-8
5 For, let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God, 7 but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made, 8 and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death--death even of a cross,(YLT)
Luke 24:49
49 `And, lo, I do send the promise of my Father upon you, but ye -- abide ye in the city of Jerusalem till ye be clothed with power from on high.'
Romans 13: 13-14
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Step #2: The exchange of belts - This exchange would symbolize the exchange of strengths. As kings came together they would now posses the strengths of each others kingdom. This usually amounted to an stoppable tandem. The following passages show how this has taken place in our relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 8:17-19
17 Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' 18 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.
2Corinthians 12:7-9
7 So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (ESV)
Step #3: The exchange of weapons – This exchange meant that each king would be taking on the enemies of his covenant partner. Have you ever wondered how young David could have been so bold in his encounter with Goliath? In the following passage he calls Goliath "uncircumcised". Without understanding the covenant relationship one may ask "what in the wide world would that have to do with a fight?" The answer in light of the covenant is very powerful. It means that Goliath and the Philistines are not in covenant with God therefore can be defeated by those who are in covenant with God. To understand how this exchange is described in Scripture read the following passages.
1 Samuel 17:23-26
23 As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. 24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel." 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (ESV)
1 Corinthians 15:21-26
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Ephesians 6:10-17
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
May you know that He will defeat your enemies and may we use what He has given us in the fight.
Hope to worship our covenant God with you soon,
Pastor Paul
Through the study of our relationship as a covenant we come to see that God has given us all we need for the fight that we call life. If you need a refresher on the definition of covenant see the last week's post. For this post we will be looking at the first three of ten steps in the ancient covenant ceremony. These three steps will help us understand that part of our relationship with God that resources us to successfully live in victory over our own enemies and the enemy of God.
Step #1: The exchange of Robes - As two kings would begin the ceremony they would there ribes. This would signify an exchange identity. Understood in our relationship with God, we come to find out that God has indeed exchanged identity with us.
Phil 2:5-8
5 For, let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God, 7 but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made, 8 and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death--death even of a cross,(YLT)
Luke 24:49
49 `And, lo, I do send the promise of my Father upon you, but ye -- abide ye in the city of Jerusalem till ye be clothed with power from on high.'
Romans 13: 13-14
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Step #2: The exchange of belts - This exchange would symbolize the exchange of strengths. As kings came together they would now posses the strengths of each others kingdom. This usually amounted to an stoppable tandem. The following passages show how this has taken place in our relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 8:17-19
17 Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' 18 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.
2Corinthians 12:7-9
7 So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (ESV)
Step #3: The exchange of weapons – This exchange meant that each king would be taking on the enemies of his covenant partner. Have you ever wondered how young David could have been so bold in his encounter with Goliath? In the following passage he calls Goliath "uncircumcised". Without understanding the covenant relationship one may ask "what in the wide world would that have to do with a fight?" The answer in light of the covenant is very powerful. It means that Goliath and the Philistines are not in covenant with God therefore can be defeated by those who are in covenant with God. To understand how this exchange is described in Scripture read the following passages.
1 Samuel 17:23-26
23 As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. 24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel." 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (ESV)
1 Corinthians 15:21-26
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Ephesians 6:10-17
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
May you know that He will defeat your enemies and may we use what He has given us in the fight.
Hope to worship our covenant God with you soon,
Pastor Paul
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